Debrecen4U
June 16, 2025
Tributes were paid to Imre Nagy and his fellow martyrs in Debrecen
Tributes were paid to Imre Nagy and his fellow martyrs in Debrecen
The Municipality of Debrecen and the Hajdú-Bihar County branch of the Nagy Imre Society held a commemoration and wreath-laying ceremony this morning on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of the execution of Imre Nagy and his fellow martyrs and the 36th anniversary of their reburial. The events took place in several locations in Debrecen, paying tribute to the memory of the heroes who sacrificed their lives for Hungary’s freedom and sovereignty.
Deputy Mayor István Puskás recalled the “terrible endgame” of the suppression of the 1956 revolution, when on 16 June 1958, the Kádár regime executed Imre Nagy and his associates, as he put it: “Putting a bloody end to the suppression of the revolution”. At the same time, he also recalled the reburial on 16 June 1989, which is an uplifting chapter in Hungarian history. István Puskás emphasised, “Even in these 36 years of peace and security, we must not forget the heroes to whom we owe the fact that we can stand here today. That we can live our lives in this beautiful and peacefully developing city, and that we can work to ensure that this city, and this peaceful Hungary, remains the homeland of our children and grandchildren.”
Vice-president of the county branch of the Nagy Imre Society, Mihály Csiszár, highlighted, “During the 20th century, the Hungarian nation suffered several traumatic events, the processing of which, even if not completely, is important for self-healing. Emphasising the significance of the rehabilitation of the martyrs, he said, “The reburial of Imre Nagy and his companions was a cathartic event of the period of regime change, the beginning of a new phase of Hungarian political life, which symbolically closed the era of the communist dictatorship. Imre Nagy’s courage in being able to represent the interests of the nation is still exemplary.”
Following the speeches, the participants placed wreaths of remembrance on Kossuth Street, then on Péterfi Street, at the memorial plaque of József Szilágyi, and finally on Nagy Imre Street, at the memorial plaque of the martyred Prime Minister.
Source and photo credit:debrecen.hu
